LED ZEPPELIN IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR UK SWAN SONG FIRST 'A' UNSPOILT COVER/INNER

	£		20
	$		27

Album / Record Title: IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR

Artiste(s): LED ZEPPELIN – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham.

Track Listing: Please see label photographs for full details.

Produced By: Jimmy Page

Cover maker / designer / format / construction: No makers credit just 'PRINTED AND MADE IN ENGLAND' original first issue cover, concept and design by STORM THORGERSON / HIPGNOSIS' - a multi component assembly comprising an outer brown 'bag' containing a rigid card cover and a moisture reactive black / white printed inner sleeve – the rigid card cover has a sealed surface but it is not laminated.

Disc Format & Playing Speed: 12” LP & 33 1/3 r.p.m.

Recording Format: STEREO

Record label: ORIGINAL SWAN SONG – please see photographs for further details.

Catalogue Number(s): SSK 59410

Country of origin and first published date: U.K. 1979 (August)

Vinyl ‘run off’ matrix side 1 (or A): SSK 59410 A5 (hand inscribed)

Vinyl ‘run off’ matrix side 2 (or B): SSK 59410 B7 (hand inscribed)

Vinyl ‘run off’ mother side 1 (or A): not visible

Vinyl ‘run off’ mother side 2 (or B): not visible

Vinyl ‘run off’ stamper code side 1 (or A): S2 (hand inscribed – I have presumed this refers to the stamper, but it may be something else).

Vinyl ‘run off’ stamper code side 2 (or B): S1 (hand inscribed – I have presumed this refers to the stamper, but it may be something else).

Vinyl ‘run off’ initials / cryptic / other side 1 (or A): STRAWBERRY (machine imprinted – recording studio).

Vinyl ‘run off’ initials / cryptic / other side 2 (or B): STRAWBERRY (hand inscribed – recording studio).

N.B. Please note that all matrices, mothers and stampers quoted in my listings are machine imprinted except where I state an alternative method next to them.

Rarity / Observations / Comments: EXTREMELY RARE IN THIS VARIANT AND CONDITION – AS A COMPLETE UK FIRST PRESS – WITH A RETAINED, CAREFULLY OPENED, OUTER BAG – THE NEAR MINT ‘A’ VARIANT COVER – A PRISTINE UNWASHED INNER AND ALL COMPONENTS IN EXCELLENT OR BETTER CONDITION. THE VINYL HAS HAD LITTLE USE AND THE AUDIO DELIVERY IS OUTSTANDING. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE OPPORTUNITY IN EVERY WAY.

FIRST RELEASED IN THE UK IN AUGUST 1979 IT SOLD WELL AND MADE IT TO #1 IN THE UK ALBUM CHARTS. IN KEEPING WITH ALL OF IT'S PREDECESSORS HUGE DEMAND MEANT THERE WERE PLENTY ABOUT AT THE TIME BUT EVEN THEN THE QUANTITY WAS DIVIDED BY 6 IF YOU TALK ABOUT VARIANTS BECAUSE THEY WERE EACH CODED ON THE TOP OF THE SPINE WITH A LETTER FROM 'A' to 'F'. ALSO THE CONDITION, WHICH IS ALWAYS A SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATION WHEN ASSESSING THE RARITY OF AY ALBUM, IS EVEN MORE CRUCIAL IN THIS CASE BECAUSE OF THE VULNERABILITY OF THE 'PACKAGE' – A BROWN BAG WHICH WAS FREQUENTLY TORN OPEN HURRIEDLY AND DAMAGED AND / OR LOST, A NON-LAMINATED COVER WHICH WAS PRONE TO WEAR AND A MOISTURE REACTIVE INNER WHICH WOULD COLOUR UP WITH VERY LITTLE ECOURAGEMENT. MOST EXAMPLES IN CIRCULATION TODAY HAVE SUFFERED FROM ONE OR ALL OF THESE FRAILTIES – BUT HERE IS ONE WHICH HAS AVOIDED THEM ALL.....SO, ON THAT BASIS ALONE IT CAN BE JUSTIFIABLY DESCRIBED AS EXTREMELY RARE.

LED ZEPPELIN ENTHUSIASTS AND COLLECTORS WILL KNOW THAT THE COVER CONCEPT AND DESIGN FOR THIS ALBUM WAS BY STORM THORGERSON OF HIPGNOSIS – AN OVERVIEW IS AVAILABLE ON WIKIPEDIA. HOWEVER, IN SUMMARY THE UK ALBUM WAS DISTRIBUTED IN 6 DIFFERENT COVER VARIANTS WHICH MAKE UP A SET – EACH VARIANT WAS DESIGNATED A LETTER FROM 'A' TO 'F' AND FOR THOSE WHO WANT A FULL SET IT IS TORTUOUSLY DIFFICULT TO FIND ALL SIX COMPLETE AND IN ANYTHING LIKE EXCELLENT TO NEAR MINT CONDITION. HOWEVER, IF YOU JUST WANT ONE THEN 'A' IS PROBABLY THE BEST CHOICE, AND IF YOU WANT TO START COLLECTING ALL SIX THEN 'A' IS THE LOGICAL PLACE TO START – WHICHEVER IS YOUR OBJECTIVE YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO FIND A BETTER ONE THAN THIS.